Striking off is the usual way to close a Singapore company that has stopped trading and has nothing left to settle. ACRA’s application is free. The work is in getting the company ready for it: final accounts, tax, GST and any charges cleared, and the directors agreed.
Last reviewed 17 October 2026. Source: ACRA.
At a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| ACRA application fee | Free |
| Who files | A director or company secretary, or a corporate service provider (CSP) for the company; the CSP must first confirm most directors consent |
| Endorsement | If other directors must endorse, the application lapses if they don’t within 14 days |
| ACRA approval | Immediate, or up to 14 days if endorsement is needed |
| Time after approval | At least 2 months for applications made on or after 20 October 2026; at least 3 months for earlier applications |
| Objection period | From 20 October 2026: 60 days from the First Gazette notice. Earlier applications: 30 days from ACRA’s striking-off letter, then a 60-day wait after the First Gazette notice |
| Withdrawal | Any time on Bizfile, free |
Is the company eligible?
ACRA requires all of these:
- It has stopped trading, or never started business since incorporation.
- It has no unpaid debts or unresolved issues with any government agency.
- It has no charges on the register of charges.
- It is not in legal proceedings in Singapore or overseas, and is not under regulatory action.
- It owns nothing and owes nothing.
- All the directors, or a majority, agree.
ACRA warns that applying when the criteria are not met can count as a false declaration and lead to an investigation. Any court summons must be resolved first. The registered office address and company email should be up to date. Tax credits left in the company when it is dissolved are transferred to the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office.
What we do before applying
| Area | Our work |
|---|---|
| Accounts | Bring the books up to the cessation date through annual compilation so assets, liabilities and balances are clear |
| Tax | Final filings with IRAS, see corporate tax |
| GST | If the company is GST-registered, the cancellation with IRAS, see GST services |
| Charges | Check the register of charges and file any satisfactions, see register of charges |
| ACRA records | Confirm registered office and email are current, and ACRA filings are up to date |
| Application | File on Bizfile and manage endorsements and any objections |
The process
- Meet the criteria and clear the items above.
- File the application on Bizfile.
- Directors endorse within 14 days (not needed when a CSP files).
- ACRA approves.
- ACRA publishes the First Gazette notice; the objection period runs.
- If an objection is accepted, the company has two months to resolve it, or the process lapses.
- With no objection, ACRA publishes the Final Gazette notice and the company is struck off on the stated date. Its status becomes “Struck Off”.
Example (illustration only)
ABC Pte Ltd stopped trading on 30 June 2026. Its accounts are brought up to date, its final tax return is filed, and it has no loans or charges. Both directors agree. The application goes in on 26 October 2026, so the new timeline applies: at least two months after approval, and not before late December 2026 at the earliest, with a 60-day objection period after the First Gazette notice.
If the company has already been struck off
A struck-off company can be restored. See restoration of a struck-off company.
Questions we get asked
Does striking off cost anything at ACRA? No. The application is free.
Can we strike off if the company has a loan? Not while it owes anything. ACRA requires the company to own nothing and owe nothing.
What if a director disagrees? All the directors, or a majority, must agree. A CSP filing for the company must first confirm that most directors consent.
Can I stop the process? Yes. You can withdraw on Bizfile at no cost.
What happens to the company’s records? Keep your accounting records for five years (the period IRAS requires). Confirm retention with us before dissolving the company.
Sources
General information, not professional advice for your specific situation.
Closing a company?
Tell us when it stopped trading and what is still open, and we will list what has to be cleared before the application. Ask us about striking off your company.